53. He guided them safely, and they weren't afraid. But the Red Sea swallowed up their enemies.
54. He brought his people to the border of his holy land. He led them to the central hill country he had taken by his power.
55. He drove the nations out to make room for his people. He gave to each family a piece of land to pass on to their children. He settled the tribes of Israel in their homes.
56. But they put God to the test. They refused to obey the Most High God. They didn't keep his laws.
57. Like their people who lived before them, they turned away from him and were not faithful. They were like a bow that doesn't shoot straight. They couldn't be trusted.
58. They made God angry by going to their high places. They made him jealous by worshiping the statues of their gods.
59. When God saw what the people were doing, he was very angry. He turned away from them completely.
60. He deserted the holy tent at Shiloh. He left the tent he had set up among his people.
61. He allowed the ark to be captured. Into the hands of his enemies he sent the ark where his glory rested.
62. He let his people be killed with swords. He was very angry with them.
63. Fire destroyed their young men. Their young women had no one to get married to.
64. Their priests were killed with swords. Their widows weren't able to cry.
65. Then the Lord woke up as if he had been sleeping. He was like a man waking up from the deep sleep caused by wine.
66. He drove his enemies back. He put them to shame that will last forever.
67. He turned his back on the tents of the people of Joseph. He didn't choose to live in the tribe of Ephraim.
68. Instead, he chose to live in the tribe of Judah. He chose Mount Zion, which he loved.
69. There he built his holy place as secure as the heavens. He built it to last forever, like the earth.
70. He chose his servant David. He took him from the sheep pens.
71. He brought him from tending sheep to be the shepherd of his people Jacob. He made him the shepherd of Israel, his special people.